What Does a Masters of Legal Studies Program Online Cost?

Possessing knowledge of the law and the legal system isn’t just a necessity for someone who wishes to practice law. It can also be extremely beneficial for individuals in a variety of industries and professions where legal and regulatory compliance are a necessity.

This is where a Master’s Degree in Legal Studies is extraordinarily helpful. If you work in a hospital, for example, you need to know which regulations govern the work of insurance reimbursement. If you work in higher education, you need to know how to navigate issues connected to Title IV and Title IX so that students can have access to scholarships and federal funding.

In fact, obtaining a master’s degree in legal students can open up options in all kinds of fields including banking, advertising and media, charitable work, financial services, healthcare, and higher education, among others. In many of these sectors of the economy individuals who obtain a master’s in legal studies often go on to work in human resources, or serve as compliance officers, become contract negotiators, and many more.

Employment for graduates of Legal Studies is also expected to grow at an average pace over the next decade. This includes human resource managers, among many others. So, if you are interested in advancing your career, or you want to familiarize yourself with the justice system in the US, then check out our list of the 20 Best Affordable Online Masters in Legal Studies!

Top Rankings of The Best Legal Studies Programs

#10 WEBSTER UNIVERSITY

MASTER OF ARTS IN LEGAL STUDIES
Website
Score: 82.5

Located in Webster Groves, MO, Webster University is a private non-profit university with an annual enrollment of over 14,000 students. WU offers a Master of Arts in Legal Studies online. The degree is 39 credits and can be completed in 2-3 years. It is designed for individuals who need knowledge of the legal system but is not interested in practicing law.

Classes include American Constitutional Law, Computerized Legal Research, and Ethics for the Legal Professional. Courses are asynchronous, which makes them very flexible in terms of scheduling. Students must maintain a B- GPA to be in good standing in the program. Admission requires a bachelor’s degree with a 2.5 GPA.
Net Price: $13,140

#9 REGENT UNIVERSITY

MASTER OF ARTS IN LAW
Website
Score: 81.3

Regent University is a private Christian university located in Virginia Beach, VA, with around 8,500 students annually enrolled. RU offers a Master of Arts in Law. RU offers a General Legal Studies concentration or an Alternative Dispute Resolution concentration. Both degrees are designed to give broad exposure to the US legal system.

The degree can be completed within five semesters and courses run for eight weeks. Courses include Property Law & Policy, Legislation & Regulation, and American Tort System. There are eight different start dates, and applicants are assessed according to academic achievement, and relevant skills to the practice of law. Standardized test scores are not required.
Net Price: $12,726

#8 HODGES UNIVERSITY

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN LEGAL STUDIES
Website
Score: 73.7

Located in Naples, FL, Hodges University is a small private university. HU offers an online Master of Science in Legal Studies. The program is designed for working professionals and offers training in advocacy and negotiation skills, as well as offering a solid grounding in law and the justice system. The degree is 30 credits and can be completed in two years.

Students can take classes like Mediation, Arbitration and Conflict Resolution, Administrative Law, the Regulatory Process, and Risk Management, and Employment and Human Resources. Admission requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. HU offers scholarships for the program and is a very military-friendly university, willing to work with veterans or active duty personnel and their families.
Net Price: $12,060

#7 UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

MASTER OF LEGAL STUDIES
Website
Score: 89.1

The University of Arizona resides in Tucson and is a large public research university with over 44,000 students enrolled annually. The James E. Rogers College of Law awards a Master of Legal Studies online. The program is 30 credits and offers 12 different concentrations, including Compliance and Legal Risk Management, Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy, and Mining Law and Policy.

Core classes in the program include The American Public Law System, Legal Analysis, Writing, and Research, and The American Common Law System. Courses run for seven and a half weeks or 16 weeks. The program is entirely online and does not have a residency requirement. The program does not require standardized test scores for admission.
Net Price: $11,486 in-state; $31,463 out-of-state

#6 ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY - TEMPE

MASTER OF LEGAL STUDIES
Website
Score: 92.3

The Tempe campus of Arizona State University is the largest of the four campuses, with an annual enrollment of over 50,000 students. ASUT offers a Master of Legal Studies online degree through the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. The program consists of 30 credits and can be completed within one year for full-time students.

The program offers six different emphases, including Corporate and Health Care Compliance, Intellectual Property Law, and Sports Law & Business. Each emphasis consists of four specific courses that are crafted with an industry-specific focus, allowing students to gain invaluable insight into the regulatory or compliance issues relevant to their field of interest.  

Net Price: $11,240 in-state; $24,320 out-of-state

#5 SAINT LEO UNIVERSITY

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Website
Score: 81.9

A private, Roman Catholic liberal arts university, Saint Leo University is located in Saint Leo, FL. SLU offers a Master of Science in Criminal Justice online with a specialization in Legal Studies. Students take five core Criminal Justice classes, three core classes in Legal Studies, and three electives. SLU is nationally recognized as a military-friendly school, and the program has been up and running for more than three decades.

Classes include Fundamentals of Civil Litigation, Criminal Advocacy and Judicial Procedure, and Legal Issues in Criminal Justice Agencies. Online learning at SLU is focused on adult learners, and the school offers various virtual student clubs and associations like the Criminal Justice Association and the Military & Families Club. Through these organizations, online students will have a chance to connect with other students and to deepen their educational experience.
Net Price: $9,990

#4 WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY

MASTER OF LEGAL STUDIES
Website
Score: 91.5

A large public research university, West Virginia University is located in Morgantown, WV and has an annual enrollment of almost 30,000 students. WVU offers a Master of Legal Studies through its online learning program. The program consists of ten courses and can be completed within 18 months. Students take seven required core courses and three electives, enabling them to tailor the degree to their interests and needs.

Core classes include Law and the Legal System, Administration Legal Process, and Dispute Resolution Process. Electives can be bunched together into an emphasis, of which the program offers three: Justice System, Homeland Security, and Healthcare. Applicants should hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with at least a 2.75 GPA. Students with a lower GPA can submit standardized test scores for consideration as well.
Net Price: $9,450 in-state; $24,390 out-of-state

#3 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT SPRINGFIELD

MASTER OF LEGAL STUDIES
Website
Score: 87

A public institution, the University of Illinois at Springfield is a small regional school with around 5,500 students annually enrolled. The Department of Legal Studies offers a Master of Legal Studies online.

The degree consists of ten courses, of which six sessions are required. A thesis option is available, and core classes include Public Advocacy, Theories of Justice, and Seminar in Politics and Law. Admission requires a 3.0 GPA as well as a personal statement. Students work with the same faculty who teach in the traditional program and because of the small size of the school can expect individualized attention.
Net Price: $8,772 in-state; $15,857 out-of-state

#2 UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA

MASTER OF LEGAL STUDIES
Website
Score: 90.5

The primary campus of the University of Oklahoma is located in Norman, OK, and has an annual student enrollment of over 31,000. The College of Law offers an accelerated online Master of Legal Studies specifically designed for working professionals. The program touts four areas of specialization including Oil, Gas, and Energy Law, International Business Law, Indigenous Peoples Law, and Healthcare Law.

The degree consists of 32 credits and can be completed within 15 months. Classes include Structure of Health Care Enterprise: Legal Forms, Governance, and Relationships, European Union Business and Competition Law, and History of Federal Indian Law & Policy. Admission requires a bachelor’s degree, personal statement, and an optional letter of recommendation. International students must have a TOEFL score, but no other standardized scores are required.
Net Price: $5,119 in-state; $19,778 out-of-state

#1 TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL

MASTERS OF JURISPRUDENCE
Website
Score: 73.7

Located in Laredo, TX, Texas A&M International is a public university with a student enrollment of over 7,000. The School of Law offers a Masters of Jurisprudence with two emphases, one in Wealth Management, and the other in Risk Management. All classes are asynchronous and are designed to promote student interaction with professors and other students as well as the course material.

Classes in the program include Taxation of Business Associations, Legal Aspects of Financial Products, and Income Tax for Financial Planning. The degree consists of 30 credits and can be completed within one year if taken full-time. TAMI also links students with the Aggie Network, the alumni organization of the school, which includes over 400,000 people who work in numerous fields and industries.
Net Price: $3,350 in-state; $10,820 out-of-state